St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-24
Place of Observation
TOO MUCH iEVITY,

Persons who have had occasion to drop
into the district courtroom the past week
have been surprised and in some instances
shocked by the air of leyity which has pre-
vailed in the room during the preliminary
proceedings of the MEADE murder trial.
To a stranger entering the room and unac-
Quainted with what was going on there has
been nothing in the scene to suggest the
gravity of trial upon the result of which a
human life hangs in the balance. Lawyers
crack jokes at each others expense and the
crowd laughs at them. Court officials and
all join in the general hlarity, and the
whole scene presents more the appearance
of May-day picnic or the inside Df hall
of public amusement than the sacred pre-
cincts of a judicial temple. The only solemn
face to be seen is that of the young man
who is the central figure of the unique
assemblage and upon whom the gaze of the
curious spectators is concentrated. So
heavily does the awful solemnity of the Oc-
casion impress him that not even the badi-
mage Of the lawyers nor the coarse laughter
of the mixed multitudes can bring cheer
full expression to his face. 1t is in no spirit
of captious criticism nor with disposition
to be cynical that the GLOBE aliudes to
this unseemly behavior in a court room, but
we call public attention to it simply because
it has demoraliZing effect. Hilarity at a
murder trial is just as much out of place as
iollity at a funeral. But it is not
for the purpose of suggesting rules for
individual department that we are dis
cussiRg this matter. Our sole object
is to speak of it as source
of public generalization. The curious
crowds who are usually attracted to court
room during the progress of murder trial
are for the most part young men. 1t is in
the courtroom that these young men form
their impressions of the respect due to the
Judiciary and of the dignity which attaches
to the majesty OF the law. They have
been told that murder is the highest degree
of crime known to the law. Yet when
these young men go into courtroom
where a man is arraigned on the charge OF
having taken another human beings life
and sit day after day witnessing scenes of
levity and mirthfulness, which would be
more appropriate III bodega or beef
garden, they are not apt to go away with a
very high opinion Of the sacred dignity of
the Judiciary or wholesome dread of the
law and its penalties. 1t is because such
scenes are frightfully demo!aizing in
their tendencies that the GLOBE
enters a vigorous protest against theil
enactment. If there is one place more than
another where everything should be done
in deeency and in order it is the court
room. And if there is one time more than
another when the traditional sanctity OF
the judicial presence should be asserted il
is when the life OF a human being is being
weighed in the scales of justice. 1t is with
no Intention of rejecting upon either bench
or bar that the GLOBE has alluded to this
incident. but it is for the purpose of calling
the attention of both to the necessity TO,
maintaining high judicial standard in this
country. Let the conduct in court room
be in itself all impressive lesson for the i'm
proyement of the rising generation.